Welding mechanism



Sept. 17, 1 946. MUNSQN 2,407,676

WELDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 3, 1944 5 Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTOR. lezzrdi'r L. Marxian BY Y Sept. 17, 1946. A. L. MUNSON WELDING MECHANI SMFiled Jn. 5, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. X417/ey- L. pfzoasam ranIVE Y5 Sept. 17, A. MUNSQN WELDING MECHANI SM Filed Jan. 3, 1944 3Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. fll ra/14 6f L. 17 1750.

Patented Sept. 17, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELDING MECHANISMAlexander L. Munson, Detroit, Mich. Application January 3, 1944, SerialNo. 516,749

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to welding apparatus and in particularprovides improved arrangements for cooling rotary electrodes, such asseam Welder wheels.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provideconstructions of the above type which may be economically and readilymanufactured, and which are efiicient and reliable in operation; toprovide such constructions which generically include a rotatableelectrode element provided with coolant passages, which enableciroulation of coolant in the region immediately adjacent the workengaging rim of the wheel; to provide such constructions embodying separate rim and body portions and further embodying a coolant passage inthe rim and supply and exhaust passages in the body; and to generallyimprove and simplify the arrangement of seam welder electrodes.

With the above as well as other objects in view, which appear in thefollowing description and in the appended claim, preferred butillustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanyingdrawings, throughout which cor responding reference characters are usedto designate corresponding parts and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section, taken along the line l-l ofFig. 2, of a seam welder wheel and its supporting assembly, embodyingthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in vertical section, taken along the line 22 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal section, taken along the line 3-4 ofFig. 4 of a modification;

Fig. 4 is a view, partly in vertical section, taken along the line 4-4of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in longitudinal section, taken along the line 5-5 ofFig. 6 of a further modification of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a view, partly in vertical section, taken along the line 6-45of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a further modification.

It will be appreciated from a complete understanding of the presentinvention that the improvements thereof may be embodied in variousdiiferent constructions, adapted for a variety of diiierent welding orother operations. The disclosure herein of specific embodiments of theinvention is, therefore, to be regarded in an illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Referring first to the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, the wheel [0 isformed in three parts, namely, a work engaging rim 13, the peripherywhereof is shaped, as will be understood, to aciii co-mmodate the workbeing welded; an annular body member I2 and a central closure member E4.The periphery of the body member 12 is slightly tapered, as indicated atit, and the inner surface of the rim I3 is correspondingly tapered.These two members are disposed to be pressfitted together, in accordancewith the usual practice in applying rims to wheel bodies. The centralmember I4 is provided with an annular boss 18, which is received in thecentral opening provided in the body member 12. A plurality ofcircumferentially distributed studs pass through the members 12 and I4and secure the wheel to the outer end of the rotatable spindle 22. Ingeneral, the connection between the spindle 22 and the wheel Ill shouldbe electrically conductive to allow the welding current to be suppliedto the wheel through the spindle. If desired, and without interruptingthe just-mentioned conductive connection, suitable packing may beprovided to seal the junctions between the members 12, I4 and 22.

The spindle 22 is conventionally rotatable within a fixed bearing 24,supported by a bracket 26, which may be conventionally associated withthe welding machine. Preferably and as illustrated, bushings 28, and 32are associated with the radial and thrust bearing surfaces. End play ofthe members is prevented by a collar 34 threaded onto a reduced portionof the spindle 22.

The right-hand end of the bearing member 24 is provided with cooperatingenclosing covers 38 and 38, cover 36 being secured in place over the endof the bearing 24 as by means of one or more studs 40, and cover 38being similarly held in place on cover 36, as by studs, such as 42.

.Considering now the coolant circuit of the present system, the workengaging rim I3 is provided with an annular groove which extendsentirely therearound and which defines a coolant passage. Preferably andto increase the heat transfer surface of this passage, an annular fin 52projects radially inwardly from the base of the groove 50. This fin alsopreferably extends entirely around the rim l3. Coolant is supplied toand exhausted from the groove 50 through a plurality of radiallyextending inlet passages 54 and a corresponding plurality of dischargepassages 56, provided in the body member l2, and which directlycommunicate with corresponding inlet and discharge passages 58 and 60formed in the central member 14. The inlet passages 58 open into arecess or pocket 62 provided at the center of the member l4, and theexhaust passages 65 communicate, respectively, with lateral passages 64,which open through the inner face of the member I l. The outer ends ofthe passages 54 and 56 are countersunk, as indicated at 66, so as tofacilitate the transfer of fluid between these passages and the annularpassage 50.

The spindle 22 is tubular in form and receives a central tubular member68, the left-hand end whereof is fitted into the central aperture in themember I4, and the right-hand end whereof is threaded into the reducedright-hand end of the spindle bore, as indicated at 111. It will beappreciated that the tube 68 is threaded into the spindle before thewheel is applied, and that in applying the wheel, the central member Mis projected over the left-hand end of the tube. The right-hand end ofthe tube 68 communicates, through a passage 12 in the cover 35, with acoolant inlet line 14, and it will be understood that packing members,such as 16 and 18, may be utilized to prevent leakage between thespindle 22 and the cover 38.

The annular space which surrounds the tube 68 directly communicates withthe previously mentioned openings 64, and also communicates at itsright-hand end with a radial passage 80, which opens into an annularchamber space 82 defined between the previously mentioned pack-- ingmember 18 and a cooperating packing member 84. The chamber 82communicates through passage 85 with the coolant exhaust line 83.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the spindle 22 and wheelI may be continuously or intermittently rotated so as to cause the wheelII] to traverse the work to be welded, it being understood that wheel IImay cooperate with a similar wheel, between which two wheels the workmay be clamped in accordance with conventional practice. Coolantintroduced through the line 14 flows through the tubular member 68 intothe recess 52, from whence it is distributed through the connectingpassages 53 and 54 to the annular groove 50 in the rim. The coolantstream passing through a particular passage 55 may be regarded asdividing into two streams, which flow in respectively oppositedirections, indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. Coolant thus introducedinto the groove E] is discharged therefrom through the connectingpassages 55, 60 and 64 and through the annular space surrounding thetube 68, passage 30, chamber 82 and passage 85 to the discharge line 88.Each stream passing through a particular passage 55 may be regarded asmade up of two components derived respectively from of the dischargepassage in question.

The modified embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 mayduplicate the arrangcment of Figs. 1 and 2 with the followingexceptions. In this case, the wheel I0 comprises a rim I0!) and anannular body portion I02, which members may be secured together in thepreviously described manner. The inner periphery of the annular memberI02 is seated upon a shoulder Hi4 provided at the outer end of thespindle 22 and is held in place thereon. by a cover plate me. The memberIE2 is provided with radially extending inlet passages I58 and radiallyextending outlet passages I Hi. The passages IGB open into the centralaperture H2 in the member I 02, which is in continuous communicationwith the central coolant tube 68. In this case, the left-hand end of thecoolant tube 68 is supported in a collar II4, which is received theinlet passages 54 at either side 1 its in the outer and counterbored endof the spindle 22'.

The exhaust passages Iiil communicate respectively with lateral passagesH6, which open through the inner face of the member I02 and are disposedin registry with angularly directed passages IIB formed in the spindle.The angularly directed passages H8 open into the annular space I20 whichsurrounds the tube 68.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 5, the wheel I30 is built up froma pair of spaced annular discs I32 and I34, which are secured togetheras by a plurality of rivets I36. Spacing between the plates ismaintained by a plurality of radially eXtending members I38, which alsoserve to divide the interplate space into a plurality of segmentallyshaped inlet passages I49 and a corresponding plurality of similarlyshaped exhaust passages I42. The end of the spindle I44 is slightlycounterbored to receive a distributor block I46, which is held in placethereon by a plurality of circumferentially distributed studs I48. Theblock I 46 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced grooves I55 cuttherein, which open through the periphery thereof and also open throughthe inner face thereof. At the periphery of the block I46, the groovesI50 directly communicate with the exhaust passages I42. Block M6 is alsoprovided with a plurality of radially extending passages I52, which openinto a central passage I54 formed in the block. At the periphery of theblock I45, the passages I52 communicate with the inlet passages I40. Itwill be understood that the wheel I36 snugly fits over the surface ofthe distributor block I46, which consequently serves to isolate theinner ends of the passages mo and I42 from each other. The wheel is heldin proper position relative to the spindle I 44 and the block I46 bymeans of a plurality of circumferentially distributed studs I56.

In this instance, the right-hand end of the spindle bearing 24 isprovided with a cover I58 secured in place thereon by circumferentiallydistributed studs I60. The cover I58 is provided with a centralinternally threaded opening I52, into which the right-hand end of thedeflector tube IE4 is threaded. The left-hand end of tube I64 is fittedinto the central aperture in the distributor block Opening I62 isadapted, as will be understood, for connection to a suit able coolantinlet line. The annular space I68, which surrounds the tube I55, opensat its lefthand end into a slightly enlarged chamber I53, whichcommunicates with the previously-mentioned grooves I 50. This annularspace opens at its right-hand end into the chamber I10 defined by thecover I58 and the end of the spindle. Chamber I10 communicates through asuitable outlet I12 with a coolant exhaust line. It is believed to beevident that the embodiment of Figs. 5 and 6 function in the mannerpreviously described.

It will be understood, of course, that the peripheries of the workengaging rims may be suitably shaped to accommodate the work beingwelded, the work engaging surfaces I12 of the embodiments thus fardescribed being centrally disposed relative to the body of the rim. Inthe illustrative alternative arrangement of Fig. 7, the rim is providedwith a work engaging surface which is laterally ofiset. Otherarrangements may, of course, be utilized.

Although only several specific embodiments of the invention have beendescribed in detail, it

engaging surface of the rim, and means for circu- 10 lating coolantthrough said passage including a plurality of radially extendingcircumferentially distributed inflow passages and a correspondingplurality of radially extending circumferentially distributed outflowpassages, said inflow and outflow passages opening into said annularpassage in circumferentially alternate relation to each other.

ALEXANDER L. MUNSON.

